The 2026 Surly Disc Trucker has just received a new build kit and a fresh coat of paint – the first update in over five years.

Surly Disc Truckers are a staple of the touring world. In popular destinations, it’s easy to spot multiple riders on them, and a quick scroll through social media shows plenty of adventurers still using them for around-the-world trips.

I’ve personally ridden a Surly Long Haul Trucker across dozens of countries, covering over 50,000 km, so I know this bike inside out. It was actually the first touring bike I bought at 19 years old, eager to start exploring the world.

Let’s take a closer look at this new update.

What’s New With the 2026 Surly Disc Trucker?

The 2026 update gets:

• Shimano CUES 2X10 drivetrain
• Shimano CUES hydraulic disc brakes
• Shimano Linkguide cassette
• 180mm rotors

The 2026 update loses:

• Shimano 3X9 drivetrain
• TRP Spyre mechanical brakes
• 160mm rotors

Classic Touring Meets Modern Upgrades

The update combines classic touring design with a few modern touches.

You still get the steel frame and fork, touring-friendly geometry, seatstay-mounted spoke holders, and internal dynamo wiring on the fork. The Disc Trucker comes loaded with mounts for racks, fenders, and water bottles, and it sticks to very common standards for maximum parts compatibility – threaded bottom bracket, 1 1/8″ headset, external cable routing, and a 27.2 mm seatpost.

Modern additions to the frameset include three-pack mounts on the fork blades if you prefer cargo cages over front panniers. And front and rear 12 mm thru-axles replace quick releases, increasing lateral stiffness and improving stability when the bike is fully loaded.

The Disc Trucker is available in a “Grandpa’s Khakis” brown colourway, and retails at US $2,099 complete or US $999 for a frameset.

Performance Upgrades for the Surly Disc Trucker

The latest update brings a set of new component upgrades: hydraulic disc brakes, larger rotors, and a 2X drivetrain with a super long-lasting cassette.

For the first time, the Surly Disc Trucker comes from the factory with hydraulic brakes – arguably the biggest performance upgrade in the model’s history. These brakes deliver more stopping power and control for two reasons: the calipers generate more force relative to how hard you pull on the brake levers, and the larger diameter rotors increase braking force by 12.5% compared to 160 mm rotors.

But real-world performance gain often feels bigger than just 12.5%, especially on long mountain descents. This is because there is better heat dissipation and less brake fade, keeping your stopping power more consistent.

Modern hydraulic brakes are extremely reliable, though it’s still a good idea to replace the brake fluid about once a year. Fortunately, almost any bike shop that sells mountain, road, or gravel bikes can carry out a brake bleed (even in major cities in lower-income countries).

I’ve personally been riding hydraulic brakes for the past 10 years and have found them consistently dependable, even in the depths of Africa or high up in the Andes mountains.

The drivetrain has also been modernised with Shimano CUES 2X, replacing the older 3X setups that have largely disappeared.

A standout feature is Shimano’s Linkglide cassettes, which are designed to last up to 300% longer than standard HG cassettes. Thicker steel cogs, a unique ramp design on the sprockets, and wider spacing improve durability, keeping shifts smoother for longer.

The only caveat is that Linkglide cassettes require replacement with another Linkglide cassette – you cannot pair a standard HG cassette with the new CUES shifters (chains, on the other hand, are universal).

The bike is also tubeless-ready, allowing you to ditch inner tubes and use sealant instead. This reduces rolling resistance slightly, and small punctures can self-seal, giving extra peace of mind on long trips.

Comfortable Touring Geometry for All Sizes

It’s also worth noting that Surly offers a fantastic size range, with 10 frame sizes instead of the more typical four or five. The 42 cm frame is among the smallest touring bikes available, while the 64 cm option is one of the largest touring bikes on the market, comfortably accommodating riders over two metres tall (6’7″).

In terms of fit, most sizes deliver a pleasantly upright riding position that’s ideal for long, all-day rides. The Disc Trucker leans toward the upright side thanks to generous steerer tube lengths, a tall spacer stack, and Surly’s Truck Stop handlebars with 30 mm of rise. Because that height largely comes from spacers, you can easily lower the bars too if you prefer a more stretched-out riding position.

Standover height is slightly taller than on some modern bikes due to the classic, more horizontal top tube, but it should still suit all but the very shortest riders.

Low Gears for Loaded Touring

For a touring bike, you ideally want very low climbing gears so you can spin comfortably up steep roads with all your luggage. A common target is around 20 gear inches or lower (I explain this a bit more in my best touring bikes article HERE).

The 26″ wheel version delivers 19.8″, which hits that benchmark nicely. The 700C wheel model, on the other hand, comes in about 7% higher at 21.4″, making it slightly harder on the steepest climbs when fully loaded.

If the stock climbing gear turns out to be a bit tall for the gradients you typically ride, there’s an excellent upgrade path. You can install a Shimano CUES RD-U8020 rear derailleur paired with a Shimano CUES CS-LG400 11-45T cassette, which lowers your climbing gear by roughly 15% while also widening the overall gear range.

Although these parts are 11-speed, they’re fully compatible with the CUES shifters on the Surly – you just need to remove a small plastic tab inside the shifter to enable the full range.

For an even lower granny gear, it’s also possible to install a CUES mountain bike crankset and matching MTB front derailleur. I’ve put together a complete guide explaining exactly how to carry out both of these upgrades HERE.

Wheel Sizes of the 2026 Surly Disc Trucker

The Surly Disc Trucker sizing is split into two five-size runs across two wheel sizes. The smaller frames, from 42 to 54 cm, roll on 26″ wheels, while the larger 56 to 64 cm sizes use 700C.

Tyre clearance with fenders is generous on both bikes: up to 26 × 2.1″ or 700C × 47 mm.

The benefit of 26″ wheels on a smaller touring bike is that they reduce toe overlap, meaning you’re less likely to clip the front tyre with your foot while steering at slow speeds. They also make it easier to run wider tyres in smaller frame sizes, giving shorter riders a smoother, more comfortable ride.

In contrast, 700C wheels offer a much broader range of tyre options and slightly better rollover on rough roads, helping the bike maintain momentum over bumps and broken pavement.

26-inch wheels are often promoted as the best choice for low-income countries. However, in my experience over the past few years, 27.5″ (aka 650B) and 29″ have become far more common thanks to their widespread use on entry-level mountain bikes. Finding low-quality or second-hand 26″ tyres and rims is still easy enough, but when I recently went looking for a high-quality 26″ tyre with a friend, we came back empty-handed.

The Surly Disc Trucker will accommodate 27.5 x 2.2″ tyres on the 700C frame.

Fortunately, the 26″ version of the Surly Disc Trucker can accept 27.5″ wheels with 2.1″ tyres – a very common upgrade that opens up a much wider range of modern tyre options. You can also convert the 700C Disc Trucker to 27.5″ wheels, increasing maximum tyre clearance from around 1.9″ to roughly 2.2″, as shown in the image above.

It’s also worth noting the 36-spoke wheels. The higher spoke count marginally increases wheel stiffness and distributes loads across more spokes, reducing the likelihood of spoke breakages over time.

Recommended Upgrades for Long Distance Touring

Before wrapping up, here are the upgrades I’d make if I were buying a 2026 Surly Disc Trucker.

The Surly Extraterrestrial tyres are decent, but there are faster-rolling, longer-wearing, and more puncture-resistant touring tyres available. I’d suggest checking out my list of the best touring tyres HERE, all of which have been thoroughly tested and shown to outperform the competition.

If you’re heading off on a round-the-world trip with a heavy load, I’d also consider upgrading the rear rim as a precaution. It might sound excessive, but cracked rear rims are surprisingly common on big expeditions, especially for heavier riders or heavily loaded bikes. Think of it as replacing the rim at home on your terms, rather than dealing with a failure mid-journey. I’ve put together a list of the strongest touring rims to make that choice easier HERE.

Finally, I’m a big fan of fitting a kickstand. It adds a small amount of weight, but makes packing and parking the bike far more convenient. Once you’ve lived with one, it’s hard to go back. Just remember that you’ll also need the compatible kickstand plate from Surly. I’ve got a list of the best kickstands HERE.

Compare The Surly Disc Trucker With Other Touring Bikes

If you’d like to compare the Surly Disc Trucker with other touring bikes, check out The Touring Bicycle Buyer’s Guide.

In this book, I walk you through everything you need to know about touring bikes before giving you the tools to compare hundreds of models in the detailed listings at the back. Best of all, the guide is updated every year at no extra cost, so you’ll always have access to the latest version.